Unified switching system with floating substrate for electrophysiological stimulation and signal recording and analysis

Abstract

A cardiac mapping and pacing system includes a cardiac catheter having multiple electrodes and further includes an electrophysiological biological recorder. An interface system coupled between the multiple electrodes and the biological recorder permits the biological recorder to receive, process and display data acquired from the electrodes even though the number of electrodes may exceed the number of available inputs to the biological recorder. An application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) implemented as a CMOS switching circuit matrix is used to effectively interface a number of individual electrodes with a variety of existing and custom biological recorders.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for transmitting or receiving signals to or from a non-fixed physiological load or source, comprising: a switch having an input and output selectively couplable via a switch path, the switch path including semiconductor circuitry configured to float with respect to the non-fixed load or source.   
     
     
       2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cardiac stimulator for pacing or diagnosis of a patient's heart. 
     
     
       3. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-fixed physiological load or source is a patient's relative myocardial potential. 
     
     
       4. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch path can withstand relative fluctuations of currents. 
     
     
       5. The system of claim 4, wherein the fluctuations are caused by physiological events occurring in the load or source. 
     
     
       6. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch path is bi-directional. 
     
     
       7. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch includes an interface operable to receive externally generated commands. 
     
     
       8. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch input is adapted to receive physiological signals from a multiple electrode catheter. 
     
     
       9. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch output is couplable to an output display device. 
     
     
       10. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch output is couplable to a biological recorder. 
     
     
       11. The system of claim 1, further comprising test circuitry for detecting the existence of abnormal operating conditions. 
     
     
       12. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch path circuitry can withstand a relative voltage difference of at least ±30 V. 
     
     
       13. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch path circuitry can withstand a relative voltage difference up to a maximum relative voltage swing of the physiological load or source. 
     
     
       14. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch path circuitry is characterized by a floating substrate. 
     
     
       15. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch path circuitry is part of an ASIC. 
     
     
       16. The system of claim 1, wherein the switch path circuitry comprises means for establishing a first path where current flows away from a voltage source when an input voltage is below a threshold level,   means for establishing a second path where current flows to the voltage source when the input voltage exceeds the threshold level, and   feedback circuitry configured to maintain a feedback voltage when the second path is established.   
     
     
       17. A system for monitoring physiological signals from a non-fixed physiological source, comprising a switch matrix having a plurality of inputs, each input selectively connectable to individual ones of a plurality of multiple outputs via respective switch paths, the inputs adapted to receive physiological signals and the outputs couplable to external devices for displaying or processing the physiological signals,   the respective switch paths each including semiconductor circuitry configured to float with respect to the non-fixed physiological source.   
     
     
       18. The system of claim 17, wherein the respective switch path circuitry can withstand a relative voltage difference of at least ±30 V. 
     
     
       19. The system of claim 17, wherein the respective switch path circuitry can withstand a relative voltage difference up to a maximum relative voltage swing of the physiological source. 
     
     
       20. The system of claim 17, further comprising a control circuit configured to activate one or more switch paths in accordance with applied commands. 
     
     
       21. The system of claim 17, further comprising a cardiac stimulator for pacing or diagnosis of a patient's heart. 
     
     
       22. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the inputs is adapted to receive physiological signals from a multiple electrode catheter. 
     
     
       23. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the outputs is couplable to an output display device. 
     
     
       24. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the outputs is couplable to a biological recorder. 
     
     
       25. The system of claim 17, wherein the non-fixed physiological source is a patient's relative myocardial potential. 
     
     
       26. The system of claim 17, wherein the respective switch path circuitry are each characterized by a floating substrate. 
     
     
       27. A system operable to selectively couple non-fixed physiological signals with one or more output channels, comprising: a switch having one or more input channels selectively couplable to an output channel via a respective switch path,   the switch path including semiconductor circuitry configured to float with respect to a non-fixed load or source.